# The name that we can dlopen(3).
dlname='nmcryptgate.so'
# Names of this library.
library_names='nmcryptgate.so nmcryptgate.so nmcryptgate.so'
# The name of the static archive.
old_library=''
# Libraries that this one depends upon.
dependency_libs=''
# Version information for nmcryptgate.
current=0
age=0
revision=0
# Is this an already installed library?
installed=yes
# Should we warn about portability when linking against -modules?
shouldnotlink=yes
# Files to dlopen/dlpreopen
dlopen=''
dlpreopen=''
# Directory that this library needs to be installed in:
libdir='/usr/local/lib'
#libdir='/usr/lib/php5/20060613+lfs'

# The name that we can dlopen(3).
dlname=''
# Names of this library.
library_names='libnmcryptgate.so.1 libnmcryptgate.so libnmcryptgate.so'
# The name of the static archive.
old_library=''
# Libraries that this one depends upon.
dependency_libs=' -L. -L/usr/ssl/lib -L/usr/local/ssl/lib -L/usr/local/lib -lssl -lcrypto'
# Version information for libnmcryptgate.
current=1
age=0
revision=29
# Is this an already installed library?
installed=yes
# Directory that this library needs to be installed in:
libdir='/usr/local/lib'

In my thinking/guessing the whole process should work this way:

php encounters a method call handled by the extension

the respective extension method is called

the extension being just a php wrapper (my guess) calls the underlying binary

until x. ... and returning back to php script

I guess that step 3 is the problem here: somehow the extension can't find the underlying binary lib - just a guess.

Am I right on this one? Or what's the prob? Can someone help out on this?

Thanks for your help but it didn't :) The path was already included there from another file (libc.conf)
–
ChristianFeb 17 '11 at 17:09

Then you can use strace to see what is happening. Configure apache to start only one worker, then restart it. Strace the worker process: strace -fp WORKER_PID. Try to use again the nmcrypt functions. Add the lines before the error in your question.
–
Mircea VutcoviciFeb 18 '11 at 3:50

Hi Mircea, thanks again for your very appreciated help! I started it via php-cli and after much debugging I ran into the possibility that I got the wrong library from the vendor. The ELF header says something about OS/ABI: UNIX - FreeBSD. Don't know if ELF is compatible this way? I'm running Debian/GNU-Linux 5.0.8, Kernel 2.6.18 I guess. I tried preloading the library via config option and get a message that the lib can't be preloaded and instead will be ignored. When I do a ldconfig -p I see that the type is not deducted automatically - it says ELF instead of libcX - does this mean anything?
–
ChristianFeb 19 '11 at 12:33

ELF is the binary format. But I do not think that you can run FreeBSD code on Linux. Or of it is possible you might need some kernel modules and all libraries that are linked by the nmcrypt
–
Mircea VutcoviciFeb 19 '11 at 18:09